I agree with Jesse in the fact that they didn't make any other army builders in any other form but someone thought it would be a good idea to make 2 distinct Bespin Guards. The first mustachioed one is the weirder of the two as you really don't see him anywhere. At least the black one is prominently seen in the movie.

The modern update is an abomination. I agree with everyone who says he looks Caucasian...all one needs to do is take off his hat to see that

You almost wonder if they were thinking of making Merril instead and changed their minds at the last minute trying to avoid utter fanboy outrage

While Hasbro did do an obvious cheapout on the first guard, I'm not too hung up on the skintone because the figure does somewhat resemble a person of Indian descent, since many Indians have caucasian features along with darker skin. I seriously doubt that is what Hasbro intended, but that's how it strikes me so I'm alright with it. Not movie accurate in any sense, but plausible in an EUish sense I guess. Somehow I wouldn't be surprised if we see an Albino guard with black features, since Hasbro is capable of screwing up that much. If that happens, they can initially claim that the figure is as intended, then fall back on blaming the factory for both screwups.

Something I liked during vintage time was the eyes paintjob, we could feel as this toy was the closest reprensentation of a black guy. Now, I realise bespin guards were the slimmers on the mold, perhaps their head a bit wide for their shoulders, but looking slim gave them elegance.

In the tlc black guard, Hasbro should have painted the borders of the cuffs: gold or black to match the movie, and to compensate the paintjob on the alien character.

But Hasbro is evolving the line, without doubt, and as said lines below Merril could be the white incarnation of the black guy.In that case, Hasbro needs to keep an eye on paint job to please collectors.

Because people have been asking for the vintage updates to both Guards since the modern line started...and if they went and made two Bespin Guards and neither of them were updates of the vintage version there would have been mass outrage

Because people have been asking for the vintage updates to both Guards since the modern line started...and if they went and made two Bespin Guards and neither of them were updates of the vintage version there would have been mass outrage

I guess I'm in the minority in that we should be more outraged over the fact that we got "Al Jolson, Bespin Guard" instead of Quentin Pierre as Sergeant Edian. (and then Hasbro coming out in a Q&A session saying that the head sculpted matched reference photos of Pierre)

I would have preferred that they did give us Merril in the TLC line and then saved updates of Edian and the "Moustached" Guard for the Vintage Collection.

« Last Edit: January 1, 2011, 05:47 PM by Pete_Fett »

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Peter

Letting my collecting OCD get the better of me on a DAILY basis... and loving EVERY minute of it!